Thoughts while flying

VM9

An egg will always be just an egg, but with the right ingredients and a bit of inspiration it could be turned into a culinary masterpiece.

Nothing like a short trip to another county and a few public lessons to get one’s prosaic gene into overdrive.

My visit to the music school in Hanover was interesting and it sure sharpened the images in my mind as to how and what to teach.

Students are now facing with so much information they seem lost. They have books, lectures and seminars on periodic playing, soloists play their own personalized version while different teachers tell them what to do and dismiss what was told to the student by previous teachers. You get the idea…

So here are my thoughts:

The most important thing in music is sound. It should be attractive, beautiful or if the music does not demand beauty: interesting. Sound is your visit card and essentially who you are as a musician. It is the prologue and the entire book, the overture and themain event. Sound is the ingredient with which you cook the egg.

Our job is to produce a clear and concise interpretation of masterpieces and to infuse life and personality into the notes written on the page. However, in the search for the right technique and the correct stylistic way of trilling we must not forget that we are playing music that should be understood by all, including the unprofessional audience, your ticket buying, music loving public.

So what is the correct interpretation of Bach or Mozart? Who knows? Certainly not I, but whichever way you choose to play should make musical sense throughout the entire piece so the public have better chance of following your idea.

Take any Mozart concerto, for example. Everyone want to play Mozart with the correct style, and everyone seem to know what the correct style is, except that they all play different from each other. I do not ask myself anymore “what is the correct style?”, but “what is style?” and “why is this music still alive while so many other composers remained obscure?

What is similar between Bach and Mozart, for example, is that they broke the rules of what we perceive as style today. They used the ‘style’ as a stepping stone and rose above it, bending and sometimes breaking the rules when it suited them. Many of Bach’s chorals are written against all rules of voicing. Try and imitate this in c theory classes and your teacher will admonish you for writing parallel fifths and other sins. Same goes for breaking sequences or moving into unexpected harmonies, basically what makes Bach’s music so exquisite and eventually timeless compared all other composers of his time (incidentally his son was considered a much more successful composer in his life time. Perhaps in a typical youthful rebellion he actually followed the rules…).

When Mozart wrote his music classical style was just “the style we play that is all-the-rage”. What made his music so interesting and funny (funny how everyone say Mozart’s music is suppose to be ‘funny’ but so many play it so ‘seriously’). In his time his innovations were probably seen as a bold move against ‘establishment’ at best or simply as ‘common’ music by the more conformist critics. Yet we play Mozart today as if was the norm, as if everyone used this style. We play it correctly and miss all the funny innovations he inserted into the piece.

If you want to tell an interesting story, especially if you are going for a joke, you must make sure everyone understands the language you are speaking, but today’s audience do not have the innate sense of eighteenth century style, and so they do not follow the essential life of the music.

How do we convey the sense of style? How do we show abnormality without a sense of ‘normality’? In essence we create a sense of expectation as we play any kind of musical sentence. We do it through timing, loudness, vibrato, harmonic movement and even facial and body expression. Sometimes we ‘fulfill’ the expectation (going into the Tonica or reaching a musical climax) and sometimes we surprise the audience and change direction abruptly, making them feel a certain element is coming then surprising them. Mozart’s concertos, for example, are full of such surprises, something many of us spectacularly miss.

How do we create a surprise?

Your audience instinctively looks for five elements in your playing: sound (most important of all), a line (thematic material they can whistle or sing), a sense of rhythm to follow, a sense of harmony and perhaps the most overlooked element: articulation.

You must be aware of these five elements and try to install a sense of them in your audience from the beginning of the piece. You must choose, for example, if a sequence moving ‘down’ the harmonic line means crescendo or diminuendo and follow your decision throughout the movement. This instills a sense of ‘style’ in your audience who will have a better chance to detect when you ‘break’ the sequence. Yet if you do not play the sequences up to the breaking point as if it is going in the ‘normal’ direction you will not create an effect when you do break it. If you pull and push a piece rhythmically you will lose the effect of actual Rubati or Rit.

To be continued… (my flight is about to land)

Practice time

The way to mastery of our instrument and whether we achieve it or not is not depended on practice time.

The difference between success and failure lies between how we utilize our daily practice, how focused we are on our objectives and whether we are aware of the specific difficulties we must overcome.

Focus and awareness during practice time are the key words for the aspiring musician. Without them the time we spend inside the soundproof room does not reward us with the reward we expect.

I separate general daily work and preparation for a coming performance and would like to concentrate on the former this time, rather than the latter.

It is important to try and plan your practice session not only time wise but also what aspects of your playing are you trying to improve. Take some time before you begin physically playing to think about what you are trying to achieve; were there issues raised by your teacher in your last lesson? Is there a specific technical problem you need to address and does it relate to a piece you are playing?

Take playing scales for example; you can work on intonation, shifting, tone production, vibrato, bow strokes, quickness, physical tension and other issues. What you need to do is decide what you are aiming for every time you play scales. This will make the work less boring and by changing the way you work you avoid mind-bogging routine.

Try to find ways to connect elementary technical work with the pieces you are working on, for example: after working on thirds, shift to excerpts from your repertoire which features thirds.

As for pieces: one of the biggest time wasters is learning a new piece and playing it “only for notes” or “half tempo” for a few days. Although it is a good way for initial practice (I must admit I do not believe in “just the notes” approach) you must bring each line/phrase/bar straight to performance level, even if you can not yet connect the “snippets”.

My book

Today I won’t write about violin teaching (or playing for that matter) because I am too excited about my book, Rocca’s Violin, which is coming out tomorrow in Israel.
What I really loved about writing it (and to some extent, doing stand up comedy as well) was the fact it is my own material, that I created it from nothing.

As a classical musician I spent all my life trying to interpret the works of great (and sometimes not so great) composers. The notes were there, so was the rhythm, volume, style, harmony and all the words and sign which indicate how to play the piece. In so many ways we are restricted by the rules of playing and try to find our own voice, the freedom of expression, in very subtle ways within those restrictions. Creating something from nothing was a real change and a wonderful experience.

It is certainly something I would love to do again.

Cover Up

Different cultures have different ways of showing respect. In Asian countries they bow to the teacher, the sensei, in the beginning and end of lessons. In Italy the tradition of the Maestro surrounded by his class at all times is still alive.
Fifty years ago the violin teacher was second only to God (at least in his/her own eyes). Changing teachers was viewed as treachery, no less. The teacher’s musical views were never openly questions by his students.

Thankfully things have changed. Most schools will consider the student’s point of view when assigning a teacher for them and a change of teacher is tolerated. The internet and modern travel modes have made the search for the right teacher an easier task for the aspiring student. Yet with this comes something of a casual attitude towards the teacher, a certain diminishing respect.
This is never more apparent than in student’s choice of clothes when coming to a lesson. Now I am not a prude and I prefer casual wear when I teach. I hate ties and my suits are kept for concerts and weddings, but I am still astounded by the fashion choices some of my students make when they come to a violin lesson. In my eyes, it shows a certain lack of respect both to themselves as well as to me.
All music schools are rightfully aware for the safety of their students, even to the point of conducting seminars for teachers about this touchy subject. Most teaching rooms in modern buildings are full of glass walls and large windows precisely because of that. Yet no one is telling the students to dress accordingly to the situation.

First of all, male or female, you do not walk into a lesson wearing the same clothes you would wear walking into your own kitchen nor what you would be happy to wear in the club you are planning to visit that very night.
You are not going to the shop, you are not going to a party and you are definitely not on the beach.

A lesson is an important event in your life. There are only about 30-40 lessons a year, not counting summer schools, which is not a lot. You should look at the lessons almost as sacred time, devoted only to learning, and should act and dress accordingly.
If you keep adjusting your clothes during the lesson it means you are wearing too little and self conscious of it, so your mind is not focused fully on the lesson.

During the lesson a teacher must look intently at the student’s body, checking the hands, arms, shoulders, stance and more in order to detect visible signs of physical stress. Sometimes the teacher needs to come in to the close proximity of the student and touch them. This is not the time you want to flaunt sexuality, believe me. Personally, I stay away from the student if I feel they are not suitably dressed, so again, the lesson suffers.
I am not suggesting that my female students should wear the Burka in lessons but there is no reason for me to see what you are wearing underneath your clothes.
Personal hygiene is also an issue, I am afraid. Stained, torn, dirty clothes and especially bad odour (both sweat or half a bottle of perfume) are simply not a good way to interact with any human being.

Sound

Sound!

This is what it’s all about in the beginning and the end. As a kid it was what attracted you to the instrument, as an adolescent it was what kept you going and as a professional it will define your success. Whether people would want to listen to you or not.

Intonation, rhythm, articulation and such are only tools (which need to be fine tooled, of course) but when people come out of a concert they do not say “Wow, that was really in tune”, they say “that sounded fantastic”. With an attractive sound this is who you really become: attractive, and people will be more open to your sense of style and musical input as well as more forgiving for an occasional mistake.

A bad sound is bad news indeed. Correct me if I am wrong but sound is the only form in art which penetrates the body. A loud sound can damage you and an ugly, screech like sound produces a physical reaction of aversion.

So how come so many students neglect to work on their sound?

Perhaps it is because we get used to our sound and do not question it or maybe it is too much of a basic concept for people to question.
Yet sound is everything and it’s the canvass and the colours we use to create the images and emotions we want the audience to experience.

Most of the sound comes from the bow, and the rest from the use of vibrato. Yet most students would work on intonation playing scales and other forms of technical workouts but not think about the sound they would be producing.
The same for working on a piece. You must have an ideal for the way the piece should sound and work on any specific line until the it sounds the way you want.

So many times students come into a lesson saying “I only worked on the notes this week, trying to learn the fingerings and such…” it is a complete waste of time!
What is musicality if not an application of movements? Fast. Slow, heavy, light, condense, whispery, timing, energy… all of these translate to physical movements one must apply to the notes on the page. If you do not learn them straight away you would not apply the right movement or use the correct placing of the bow

Choosing Your Teacher

A student came for a tryout lesson the other day. My class was pretty full for the year but I have decided to give her a chance because of certain tragic circumstances concerning her previous teacher and because giving people a chance is something everyone should do.

So she came for a lesson and I asked her to play something. She then told me she had not “really” practiced the violin during the summer. This left me in an awkward position to be needing to give a lesson with no material. She did eventually play a piece she has learned before, but it was only showing a certain element of her playing, and could not really do anything else. So I sent her on her way and asked her to return within a week with a full Beethoven sonata of her choice and try again. I also mentioned that I was teaching all weekend in the college and suggested she should come and listen to some of these lessons so she can sense my style of teaching. She never showed up. And I have a feeling I wont be hearing from her next week…
Although I find this kind of behaviour odd; I mean why come to a lesson with a new teacher without anything to show? I was not surprised bythat lesson.

I have encountered such behaviour before many times and it is usually not done because of malice or disrespect (although easily interpreted so). Students who strive to be professional take themselves very seriously , sometimes too much so, but when it comes to the things that surround the practice room, such as choosing repertoire, preparing for a lesson, dress code, etc. many simply let faith propel them to a random direction.

Take choosing a teacher, for example: You most likely did not choose your first teacher and even the one in your teens, but choosing a teacher as a professional wannabe is the single most important choice you face in your professional life. It is more important than choosing the School/University/College you will attend, as any establishment, even the famous ones, is full of many teachers who differ in teaching styles, to put it mildly…
A good teacher will make you fulfill your potential and reach beyond what you think is possible while a bad choice can waste years of your life, the damage could be irrecoverable.

To just walk in to any school and trust you will be assigned a teacher who is best for you is putting your future in someone else’s hands. Wouldn’t you want to have a choice in that?

You hear about teachers through other students and rumours as well as the teacher's own prestige and success both as a violinist and a pedagogue but the best way to find out is to go and sit in other people’s lessons. This way you can experience the event without being in the spot light. You could find out if the teacher is using motivation or fear, if they are technical in their approach or concentrate on musical aspects. You’ll sense their style and aura and most importantly: you will find out if you are inspired to do better. Only after you have sat in a few lessons and decide to try for a certain teacher should you approach the teacher and ask for a lesson. Some establishments, like the one I work in , Royal Northern College of Music, give students the possibility to go for one off lessons. In other cases you should invest money and have a paid consultation lesson. Remember, from the point of view of the teacher, once you approach him/her for a lesson you are interested. So do not walk in the class as if you are walking into a shop. A teacher - student relationship is very important and will directly influence your future.

Now, I can not stress it enough. Come Prepared to the lesson. Know your stuff. Bring two or maybe three pieces. Use something you have played before and are comfortable to play under stress and perhaps another piece which is more fresh. But for your own sake do not come to a lesson with something you can barely read off the page.

I always ask new students the following question: “if you were to be granted one wish relating your playing, what would that be?” - the answer must be as specific as possible ( “to improve my technique” is too general). Many students have no clue, or at least do not trust themselves to confront their problems. They wait for the teacher to diagnose them and produce a cure. Yet even when we go to a doctor we usually know what is wrong with us and want help for specific problems. You should know what are your weaknesses are (and strengths as well) and specifically ask for advice concerning them. This will give the teacher a clue about how aware you are and a direction of where to start.

From the teacher’s point of view, we all look for talent and competence, obviously, but this is not a talent show where the most blessed are taken. For a true teacher the important thing, the source of pride, is to take a student, any student, from a certain level to a higher level. I have seen teachers (my father being one of them) taking on students I would not think they’d accept simply because they wanted to help that person and felt they could, or sometimes simply because they liked the student’s personality ( and no, I do not mean “like” in a nasty way).

If the teacher senses you are serious and intelligent, that you are open but not empty, that you are ready to work and know the responsibility ultimately lies with you, then he/she will be ready to take you on even if they feel you lack perhaps in certain abilities.

My first Mutter

“Life is a journey” must be one of the oldest clichés yet it is a true one. We, musicians, instrumentalists, violinists, embark on a journey within a journey. It is a long way and very rewarding to most of us, yet sometimes we get tired, or lost or even unmotivated to continue. When I was in such situations I was lucky enough to find help; guides who said wise and (sometimes) kind words and helped me find my way again.

As a teacher and a performer I am in contact with students and professional musicians and many times have encountered people in need. I tried to help them the way I was helped. Sometimes I was successful and sometimes less so.

So this is why I am starting this blog.

Sharing information is what is so great about this age and I am curious as what I will find to say and who will read it and what reaction it will provoke.

About me:
I am a violinist, 36 years old (but I really feel 16 to be honest, and sometimes 6). I have an impressive professional CV, you know.. played here.. taught there... I have lived in several countries and done several different things in my life including writting books, martial arts, stand up comedy, political commentary and...well... more...
This gives me prespective and perhaps some wisdom, but I would like you to judge my words not because I said them but because of what they say to you.
You can find about me at my web site www.Eyalkless.com which will be set up around end of October 07 (I hope).

In the mean time, enjoy!


Eyal